Review of MLB 2k7

Ever since I shattered a controller playing Madden — my annual indication that I’m done with the game until it is re-released in August — I’ve been awaiting the release of MLB2k7. I was reluctant to buy the game last year, because I thought MVP was the be all, end all of baseball video games. But after playing the craptacular “MLB: The Show,” I was left with little other choice.

I fell in love with the game, though. The pitching system was sleek, and I eventually grew used to the Tiger Woods-esque hitting system. I actually like it a ton better than the MVP hitting system, which at one time I thought was the closest simulation possible. In short, I was sold.

I’ve had March 5th circled on my calendar for a while now, and planned to buy the game on my lunch break this past Monday. You can imagine my excitement and ensuing disappointment when on Saturday night I found out that it had been realeased on Feburary 26th. Why disappointment? I had made the discovery at 10 p.m., when all major retailers were closed. I searched endlessly, but there was no place within a reasonable driving distance open 24 hours.

The worst part of all: I live in Bergen County, NJ. Anyone familiar with the area knows that, by law, retail and other “non-necessary” businesses must be closed on Sundays.

Bah, like that would stop me. Across the New York border it was, and I came home with my beloved copy of the game. Within minutes, I had a GM career set up and ready to go with the San Francisco Giants. The reason being: I was excited as hell to use both Matt cain and Tim Lincecum. But wait…no Lincecum? What the hell?

This led me to browse the Yankees roster. And guess what? No Phil Hughes. This was particularly troubling, because he had appeared in MLB2k6. But I shook it off and continued my season with the Giants.

The gameplay, hyped as being revamped from last year, is still just like the original. It’s still highly possible to miss a routine fly ball, though the ground ball fielding is a bit improved. Hitting has the same old flaws: the bunt button doesn’t always work, you can’t pull back diagonally on the R stick in any way, or you won’t step, and I even had an at-bat that was started with the hitter facing the catcher. And pitching is exactly the same as 2k6.

The GMing aspect is also exactly the same. You can cut people and shave that money off the cap; rarely do you see a Boras-esque contract demand; your minor leaguers don’t progress well; trades are ridiculously lopsided. The latter is linked directly to the ludicrous player ratings — J.D. Drew is a 100. Hell, Randy freakin’ Winn is a 95.

I sit here today without a longing desire to get home and play the game, when a year ago I would be comping at the bit. Not only do I feel like I wasted $30, but I also wasted my time driving to New York to purchase it. My recommendation: just play 2k6.

No Hughes and Lincecum because they haven’t reached the bigs yet, therefore they ain’t in the union. If someone isn’t in the union, then they can’t have their name in the game (unless they want to pay them some exorbitant amount), simple as that.

They do put their likenesses in the game though: Reggie Stocker in The Show was Barry, and all of BA’s Top 100 Prospects from 2005 were in the last MVP, you just had to edit their names. Heck, even non-top 100 guys were in, like Marcos Vechionacci, who tore shit up in that game.

The new The Show is aight. Kei Igawa is the Yanks best SP, Dice-K throws a gyroball, and David freakin’ Ross is the best player on the Reds. I’m sticking with MVP NCAA 06.

JB

Nice JP, I also lives in Bergen county. Garden State Plaza and Paramus Park Mall always closed in Sundays Bergen County, has strict blue laws …

NYFan

Who is doing the announcing? Is it Morgan/Miller, or are we spared Morgan’s announcing?

http://www.riveraveblues.com Joseph P.

It’s Morgan/Miller. I don’t think a line has changed from last year.

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

Know what sucks? I blew nearly $700 on a PS3 about 2 months ago, and there’s almost no decent games for it. The graphics for Madden are amazing, but the gameplay is good at best, and the franchise mode isn’t even half as deep at the PS2 version.

Resistance was great, but incredibly short with a disappointing ending, and there’s no other titles that look appealing. Until they start making more games for the thing, I’ve got a $700 DVD player.

KAnst

When is MVP allowed to start making baseball games again. The MVP series was so much head and heels above the competition. I would say that the NCAA title last year was better than either of the MLB games.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Joseph P.

If MVP adopted the hit stick system, I’d never buy another baseball game.

http://www.yanksblog.com James V

Man Joe…I was all hyped to get this game for my 360. I haven’t played a good 2K game in a while and was really looking forward to it. I’d agree that the last year of the MVP games was probably the best baseball game I’ve played.

Mike A. – I thought about a PS3 but I figured I’d wait until they have a second rev. with a better BR player in it. Just wait – the games are coming in time.

As an aside, I’m loving my 360 though – esp. its functions as a media center extender. I’ve caught up on 24 by streaming seasons 3,4,5 from my computer to the 360 to the TV. I would have bought the thing for just that alone.

http://riveraveblues.com Mike A.

I really like the hit stick in the NCAA game. It’s very challenging and the closest you could probably get to the real thing. It sure as hell thought me the value of a decent changeup.

ShawnT

I personally will refuse to play any bball games till mvp comes bak i dnt
dislke the new hit stick but im not in love wit it, i think itz horrible that theyres no decent bball games outright now especially with the gr8 graphics that r avialable right now and cannot wait till mvp come bak in like 2010

http://www.geocities.com/pcgamenostalgia JD

You’re obviously not playing the Xbox 360 version… you have the original Xbox version. On the 360, Hughes, Lincecum and all of the other prospects are present (without their likenesses, though) and the player ratings are normal (J.D. Drew is rated about 85). You should change the box art image to avoid confusion.